1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle side airbag device.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-240807 (JP 2011-240807 A) describes technology relating to a vehicle side airbag device. More specifically, a side airbag having a two-chamber structure is used which, when a side collision occurs, inflates and deploys in a general V-shape when viewed from above by a front portion that is pressed against from diagonally in front toward the chest of an occupant, and a rear portion that is pressed against from diagonally behind.
However, this related art has various problems. First, when a large occupant (i.e., an occupant with a large frame (build)) sits in a vehicle seat and moves the seat (changes the seat position) toward the rear of the vehicle, for example, a space between the occupant and a center pillar may become narrow. In this case, the side airbag will have difficulty inflating and deploying, which is problematic.
In addition, in the event of a side collision in which a vehicle body side portion largely deforms locally toward the vehicle cabin inside, such as a side collision with a pole or the like, a vertically-extending groove (gap) formed between a pillar garnish of the center pillar and a door trim of a front side door may open up in the longitudinal (front-rear) direction, and a large step may occur. In this case, when the side airbag inflates and deploys, it (i.e., the side airbag) tends to catch on this step, and as a result, it may take longer for the side airbag to fully deploy.